


Code Name Vivaldi

by Kitsune_Moonstar



Category: James Bond (Craig movies), Skyfall (2012) - Fandom
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Mission Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2016-01-15
Packaged: 2018-05-14 00:09:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5722267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitsune_Moonstar/pseuds/Kitsune_Moonstar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The piano that comes with James' new flat isn't something he thinks about much. At least until a mission requires him to take Q undercover with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Code Name Vivaldi

**Author's Note:**

  * For [apitnobaka (bakanoapit)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bakanoapit/gifts).



> I do not own James Bond or its characters.
> 
> Special thanks to Wayward Halos for being such a fantastic beta. And to Apitnobaka for for the lovely inspiration. The inspiration for Q's performance selections comes from the Piano Guys who can be found on youtube.

 

**Code Name Vivaldi**

 

            The flat came with the piano, amongst the other furnishings. James didn't really care. As long as he didn't have to go furniture shopping and everything was serviceable, he was happy. He didn't play piano, but he could think of a couple different ways to use the baby grand if he was ever attacked at home. So he didn't really think about the thing. He had far more pressing concerns.

            Like all of the changes to MI6. He had a new boss that he wasn't sure where he stood with, and a new Quartermaster who was far more interesting than expected.

            Q had potential. It was clear that he was still new to his position, but James liked his attitude, and so far he had been more of a help than a hindrance. He wasn't exactly hard on the eyes either, even if his fashion choices left something to be desired. And it was fun to wind him up.

            Which was why James spent a great deal of his free time down in Q Branch when he wasn't using the training facilities. M hadn't exactly sent him out on anything that challenging or that often since Skyfall , and he found himself with more free time on his hands than normal. And for their verbal sparring, Q had never actually barred James from Q Branch. Of course, it probably helped that he could make a mean cup of Earl Grey if he put his mind to it.

            Besides, he was having a great deal of fun watching Q and Alec interact for the first time. Alec hadn't met Q yet, but James was looking forward to the event.

            "Double Oh Six, is it completely necessary to set every building you leave on fire? You do realize just how easy that makes it to track you?"

            James bit back a chuckle.

            "It's an easy, effective way to eliminate any leftover evidence," came Alec's reply.

            Q rolled his eyes. "You're almost as bad as Double Oh Seven and his explosions."

            "You should see what we can do together."

            "I don't think my budget can cover that sort of destruction."

            "Oh, come on, Q. It would be fun. You could even come along if you want. A little field work wouldn't hurt you."

            "I'll pass, thanks. I have no desire to end up in Medical anytime soon."

            This time James chuckled. "Don't you trust us, Q?"

            "To get into trouble? Absolutely."

            Alec laughed at that. "I'm taking you out for drinks when I get home. I bet you're a riot when drunk. You can come too, James."

            It only took moments for things to turn from lighthearted banter to more serious fare. James excused himself as Q sunk into the task at hand, not wanting to be a distraction when his friend's life was at stake.

            The next time James visited Q's office, it was nearly eleven at night. Alec was with him, and they were on a mission to make Q eat something. He had been down in the bowels of MI6 for nearly forty-eight hours now without a proper meal, and the crisis was over with. Eve had asked them to make sure that Q ate a real meal and got some sleep in a bed, and James was all too happy to lend a hand. He blinked as they entered Q Branch. Music was playing over the intercom. It sounded vaguely classical, all strings and piano, but there was a bit of modern flair to it as well.

James' focus, however, was not on the music but on the man hunched over a computer desk. He wasn't sure what Q was working on at this point, but he was certain that whatever it was, it could wait a day or two. He traded a look with Alec and carefully cleared his throat so as not to startle Q. It got no response. James sighed.

            "Q."

            The younger man waved a hand at him. "Not now, Double Oh Seven. I have a mountain of paperwork to get through, so you can just entertain yourself for once."

            Alec chuckled. "Actually, we're under orders this time. Eve says you haven't had a proper meal in days."

            Q made a face. "I had toast. This morning, I think."

            James snorted. "If you can't remember, then it doesn't count. Eve promised that the paperwork can wait. I know a great little Japanese place not too far from here."

            He and Alec had taken advantage of Q's distraction in order to flank him. Alec reached out and shut the laptop even as James was wrapping an arm around Q's shoulders.  

            "Food, Q. And at least eight hours of sleep. You'll thank me for it, I promise."

            "Don't bet on it."

            But the boffin let himself be herded out of Q Branch and into James' car. It was only a ten minute drive to the little-hole-in-the-wall restaurant, and Alec had called ahead for a table.   Q was grumpy right up until the point when an assortment of grilled skewers were placed in front of him. Then he was too busy inhaling the food o grumble. Alec shook his head with a grin.

            "I'll order more food so _we_ can eat something as well."

            The dinner takes an interesting turn once Q gets some food in him and starts getting sleepy. Sleepy Q is almost as entertaining as a pissed off Q. A sleepy Q rambles off onto odd tangents such as cufflinks with lasers in them and weaponizing cat toys. He also seems to have lost all sense of personal space, leaning against James and stealing his food when the mood struck him. The younger man seemed addicted to the grilled rice balls and wasn't willing to share any of his grilled scallops. The sheer amount that the slender man could pack away had been surprising, but James was just glad that the younger man actually ate.

            Q was mostly asleep by the time James delivered him to his flat. The agent made sure that Q was safely inside and that his home was secure before heading back to his own flat with a sense of a job well done. And James did note that there were a few extra gadgets included in his gear on the next mission.

            It was an odd little dance, but they both seemed to enjoy it, and James found it far more enjoyable to flirt with Q these days than just about anyone else. Besides, there weren't a lot of other people at MI6 who could keep up with his verbal sparring. And, on occasion, it got him extra tech. Q's inventions tended to be practical, effective, and stylish. He might not provide exploding pens on a regular basis, but what he did hand out had gotten James out of more than one bad situation. There was also the fact that he was one of the better handlers on the coms when that was necessary. Q knew when to interfere and when to back off and let James do his job.

            What James was not expecting was to be called into M's office to find both M and Q waiting for him, Q looking more than a little ill at ease. James just arched an eyebrow.

            "Sir?"

            M sighed. "We have a bit of a situation that unfortunately necessitates sending the Quartermaster into the field. You'll be tasked with his protection as well as carrying out part of the mission. I trust you can manage."

            Q didn't look too pleased about this turn of events, but he didn't voice any complaints. James just shrugged. "Certainly."

            "Good. I'll let Q brief you, and the two of you can be on your way."

            James took the dismissal for what it was, and let Q lead the way back down to Q Branch. Back in Q's office, the younger man sank into his chair with a sigh. He turned hopeful eyes on James.

            "Tea?"

            "I think I can manage that."

            It only took a few minutes to get the two of them set up with mugs of tea, and then James turned his full attention on the Quartermaster. Q just sighed again.

            "Well, the good news is we won't have to fly. Our target is one Malcolm Kovalevich, a Belarusian businessman with ties to several terrorist groups. He's been sniffing around Silva's leavings, and it looks like he might have gotten his hands on some of the man's data. He's also a music aficionado, which is how I got dragged into this.”

            At James' raised eyebrow, he elaborated. "Apparently we don't have anyone available in London who plays piano well enough to get us into the contest that Kovalevich is sponsoring at his home near Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Except for me."

            That was news to Bond. "You're musically inclined?"

            That just made Q roll his eyes. "Technically, yes, though I don't like to mix work with pleasure. Mostly. But I can play the piano well enough to get us in the door, and my fabricated background should net us an invitation. You'll have to do the data retrieval while I'm competing."

            James was already seeing several problems with this plan. He didn't like the idea of leaving Q on his own without backup amongst enemies while he was occupied elsewhere. And while he had full confidence in his Quartermaster's skill when it came to his regular duties, fieldwork wasn't exactly something that Q had much experience with as far as he knew, and this wasn't exactly the ideal first op. Q didn't look much happier about the situation either, and he did tend to be sensible about things. So Bond was reasonably sure that Q wasn't going to go into this thinking that he knew everything about being out in the field. He filed away the knowledge that Q played the piano for fun for later use.

            "What exactly are we looking at with the data retrieval?"

            "As far as we've been able to tell, the data is stored on Kovalevich’s personal computer and is still encrypted. We were mostly alerted to his activities when he started looking for someone who could break Silva's encryptions. All you will need to do is pull the data and wipe the machine, but I'll have R on hand to walk you through if anything more complicated needs to be done."

            "Cover stories?"

            Q tapped a few keys and brought up two profiles on the screens. "As far as Kovalevich knows, I'm Kieran Pembrooke, a piano prodigy who has been cut off by my wealthy family for not taking music seriously. I've mostly been making a living my competing in amateur piano competitions or the occasional gig when I need extra money. We stuck with the Richard Sterling cover for you. I just happen to be your latest boytoy, and you indulge me when it comes to music, even if you are rather bored by it."

            James could work with that. He just had a few conditions of his own before they went out into the field.

            "I'm going to assume you have intel on his home."

            Q grimaced. "Not as much as I'd like. Floor plans and basic intel. The competition does take place over several days though, so we should have time to do a little scouting around. I have some tech that should help, but I'll be the first to admit that we don't have a lot to go on for this one."

            Bond frowned. "When do we have to leave?"

            "Within two days would be best. We could stretch to three, but…"

            As Q trailed off, Bond nodded. It wasn't a lot of time figure things out. He might be used to working with Q in his ear, but working with him in the field was not the same thing, and keeping Q safe was a priority. It wasn't a run of the mill agent that they were risking, and Q had far more potentially dangerous knowledge locked up in his head than most of MI6. He made an executive decision.

            "Grab whatever you need for the evening. We'll grab something to eat and go over what details you have."

            Q arched an eyebrow but agreed to the idea.

            "I just need twenty minutes or so."

            True to his word, Q had a laptop packed up and was all ready to go when his twenty minutes were up. He followed Bond to the carpark and made no comment as they took off.

            "Any allergies I should know about?"

            Q shrugged. "Just strawberries."

            "Lovely."

            James had a place in mind. The Stag's Horns had good food, a nice atmosphere, and a fair amount of discretion. Plus it would give them a chance to figure out how they were going to act in public. It was one thing to say they were going undercover as a couple; it was another to pull it off convincingly. Not that James thought they'd have any trouble with that, but the last thing he needed was Q freezing up on him in the middle of an op.

            The two of them were seated in a booth in the far corner of the restaurant where they were out of the main path of traffic. Q flipped open his menu.

            "What's good here?"

            He just shrugged. "Almost everything. So, Kieran."

            Q wrinkled his nose. "I'm going to have to get used to that. I've gotten used to being just Q."

            Their server interrupted before the conversation got any further. Once their food was ordered, James got back to the matter at hand.

            "How much field experience do you have?"

            Q sighed. "If you're asking if I've done something like this before, the answer is no. Almost all my involvement has been remote, and the few times I've been in the field, it's mostly been slipping into an office setting to access a network that's not connected to the outside world, and I can count on one hand how many times I've done that. I do have experience being the young boyfriend to the rich older man."

            Bond nodded, biting back the questions that statement raised. "And you build our guns, so I'm assuming you know how to fire them. Any other self-defense training?"

            Q just shrugged. "Other than the training all executives get? No, not really. I know how to use pepper spray and a gun, and that's about it."

            It wasn't what James had hoped for, but he'd make do. The fact that Q didn't look like a threat would probably help.

            "What do I need to know about our cover?"

            Their food arrived at that moment, and they busied themselves with their meal. On the surface, this seemed like a simple enough mission. Get in, get the information, get out. Bond would have preferred that Q be the one doing data extraction, but since he couldn't play piano, they were stuck with their roles. Speaking of which, James had questions about what to expect from this sort of competition. He had no idea how these things worked.

            Still, he would wait until after Q finished inhaling his venison and mushrooms and making rather orgasmic noises over it, and applied himself to his steak instead. The food was lovely as always, and it was clear that Q was enjoying himself.

            "So, as far as our cover goes, we've been dating for about two months and are still in the honeymoon phase. We met at some event I was playing at. You paid the entrance fee for the competition." Q wrinkled his nose again. "I probably need to sit down and do some practicing. It's been a while since I've seriously played. The competition should last the weekend, and we'll be expected to stay the entire time, even if I drop out in the early rounds, though we probably will want an exit strategy planned just in case things go south. Not that I think that things are going to go south, but then again, you're on this mission, and your missions never seem to go according to plan which isn't always a bad thing but…" Q looked at him sheepishly. "I'm rambling aren't I?"

            It was really the first sign of nervousness that Q had shown about all of this, which wasn't bad for someone who didn't have much field experience. Then again, Q had always been one for keeping calm in the face of any sort of crisis. James had seen him direct an agent out of firefight while dealing with a minor incident in Q Branch at the same time without sounding perturbed in the least. Plus the rambling did add to the air of harmless geek, which he wasn't in the slightest, and it made for a good façade to hide behind.

James chuckled. "It's fine. Do you want dessert?"

            Q's eyes lit up. "Yes."

            It quickly became clear that Q had a sweet tooth as well as a better head for liquor than James had expected.

            "Have you competed in ones of these before? Any clue what we can expect?"

            Q just shrugged. "Not in years, but it's a lot like a weekend house party with periods of intense musical competition thrown in. From what we've been able to tell, Kovalevich likes to have about a dozen competitors for these things, and if you make any mistakes, you've eliminated. He tends to pick a theme for the music and not announce it until everyone is there to make practicing more difficult. Expect good food and lots of alcohol as well as gossip and petty bickering and backbiting."

"Will the fact that you're relatively unknown be a problem?"

            Q shook his head and took another sip of his Irish Coffee. "It shouldn't be. I mean, I've created enough of a trail that people can find me if they want to look me up. And who attends this sort of thing is always variable."

            He suddenly frowned. "How do you feel about music? If you're not a fan, this might be a rather painful weekend."

            It was James' turn to shrug. "I don't mind good music, and from the sounds of it we won't be suffering through the efforts of people who only think that they are talented."

            "No, that's one think we won't have to deal with, thank god."

            Once every speck of Q's chocolate mousse and honey custard was gone, James signaled for the check. He wrapped an arm around the other man's waist as they made their way to the door. The slender man froze for a moment before relaxing into the embrace and leaning into James as they headed to the car. Q actually looked quite at home in the Aston Martin. Then again, he had spent more than a little time restoring the old car. Coming into Q Branch to find the old girl up on a lift with the Quartermaster underneath her had been a shock. The fact that Q had cared enough to have the smoking remains transported from Scotland and then had put the time and effort into restoring the car had done quite a bit to endear the man to his agent.

            The drive to Q's flat was quiet. The boffin lived in an upper floor flat in Knightsbridge. Bond approved of the security on the place though he wasn't prepared for the attack on his ankles by two pale blurs. Q let out a long suffering sigh and scooped up the pair of kittens before they could do any damage.

            "Would you like some tea?"

            "Sure."

            The kittens, one grey and one calico, were deposited in Q's bedroom before the kettle was put on. There was a surprising lack of tech throughout the flat with the exception of the entertainment system.

            "Countess Grey or Scottish Breakfast?"

            "Scottish Breakfast, please."

            He leaned against the counter watching as Q filled the tea pot and set a timer. Two scrabble mugs appeared from the cupboard.

            "Milk or sugar?"

            "Just milk."

            Q curled up at one end of the couch with his tea, and James decided to sit down beside him rather than take the other end. "Who'll look after the cats while we're gone?"

            "Eve volunteered." Q sighed. "Hopefully, they won't mind too much. They shredded more than one thing when Tanner was taking care of them."

            "I wonder if they could be trained to attack intruders," he mused. "They seemed ferocious enough."

            Q blinked at him. "Are you trying to weaponize my kittens, Bond?"

            "It couldn't hurt." He leaned in to nuzzle at Q's temple. "So, if I'm bored by the music, I take it I'm mostly there for the scenery? Not that I have any problem with that."

            A pair of lips quirked upwards. "That's the plan. We can either play it with me being a clingy boyfriend, you being possessive, or some combination of the two."

            "Let's go with a combination of the two." He stole a quick kiss, mostly to see if Q would let him; he was pleased when Q actually chased after him when he pulled away. "I take it you have no objections? Being handsy in public is a good way to sell a cover, but I won't take this further than you're comfortable with."

            "You'll find me quite amenable." Q leaned in for another kiss. "Do you need to practice?"

            "I should be asking you that." James grinned.

            Despite that, they didn't do much more than snog and cuddle on the couch; the picture of a happy couple. As much as James wanted more, just before the start of the mission wasn't exactly the time for something other than a one night stand, and Q was worth more than that.

            Q eventually released the kittens from his bedroom, and Kethry (the ginger one) decided to take up residence on James' shoulder while Tarma (the sleek pale grey kitten) took over Q's lap. There was, however, more discussion of the mission, and he even managed to get Q to agree to letting him dress Q for the mission. Not that the other man's cardigans weren't charming, but they didn't quite say boytoy like what James had in mind did. He wanted to keep the idea that Q might be a threat as far from everyone's mind as possible.

            His biggest complaint about this mission was the fact that it put Q in danger without proper back up. If James was busy stealing the files while Q played distraction, there was no one to watch Q's back, and MI6 really couldn't afford to lose their Quartermaster on such a routine mission. James didn't want to break in a new one for one thing, and he was more than a little fond of the one he had for another. Still, he'd make it work.

            The next few days were spent finalizing details and equipment. Bond also spent the time making sure Q could shoot to his satisfaction and had a wardrobe appropriate for the mission. Q himself had been busy putting together toys for both of them. At Bond's insistence, Q would be carrying at the very least a stun gun and a real gun.

            "Your Walther, the usb drive, and earpiece." Q said, bringing him back to the present. "I've got the same without the usb drive and an iPod that doubles as a stun gun. The drive should be able to take care of any issues with encryption, but R will be on hand to help if you end up needing it."

            James nodded and pocketed the gear. Then Q grinned and turned towards the garage.

            "I also took the liberty of making sure our ride was properly equipped in case there's the need for a speedy escape. I wasn't about to risk the DB5 after all the work I just put into restoring her." He gave James a long look. "I do expect to use this for other missions, so let's not destroy her on her very first mission."

            "I make no promises."

            Q rolled his eyes but handed him the keys anyway. Bond could see why he was fond of the car. The sleek new Aston Martin was a thing of beauty, and knowing Q, she probably had a few surprises in store.

            "All packed and ready?"

            The boffin nodded. "We can leave at any time."

            "After you change."

            Q rolled his eyes again but went to change anyway. He hadn't been entirely thrilled about the change of wardrobe. James loaded his bag in the car's trunk while he waited. It was a fourteen hour drive if they didn't make any stops, but they had two days before they needed to be in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. He had a leisurely route planned which would give plenty of time for him and Q to put on a show if they had any watchers. Q didn't think that Kovalevich was that paranoid, but James didn't want to take that chance. Besides, it would give them more time to practice their act before getting to the competition.

            The two-day drive was improved by good company. As always, Q was quite able to hold his own in any conversation with Bond, and it turned out that his range of topics was more than just tech and engineering, though those made for interesting discussions as well.   Q had been behind many of the changes recently at MI6, including Q Branch taking a more active role in handling missions, and James actually was rather keen to find out if Q had more changes in store. It wasn't that he minded having access to Q Branch most of the time on a mission, but having someone in your ear who didn't understand fieldwork could be disastrous at the same time. He had mostly dealt with either Q or R, who were both competent.

            Work wasn't the only topic of conversation. There was an enjoyable debate over cars and a heated discussion about whether spy movies were just cheesy or good fun. James voted for cheesy, but Q had an odd affection for the genre. Of course, Q found his appreciation for BBC mystery shows just as baffling. They shared a love for Doctor Who, though James would admit that he was quite behind on the latest season.

            The fact that they were both still alive and in a relatively good mood by the time that they reached Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat probably wasn't that surprising, but it was more proof that Q was going to turn out to be someone like Alec or Eve: a friend as well as a colleague. He didn't have many of those. It wasn't until they were pulling up the drive of Kovalevich's home that Q showed any sign of nervousness. James had warned him twenty minutes ago that it was time for them to settle into their roles, and the younger man had developed a tension that hadn't been there before. Clearly, James was going to have to do something about that.

            So once he parked the car, James leaned over, slid a hand into Q's hair, and pulled him into a kiss. Q gave back as good as he got, and by the time that they broke apart, Q looked delightfully rumpled, and no one would have any doubt as to what he and James had been up to. He slung possessive arm around Q's waist.

            "Ready, Kieran?"

            Q nodded, and they headed into the house. He let Q do the talking for the most part. It didn't take long for the butler to escort them to their room. Q dumped his bag on the bed and started looking around even as James began hanging up their closes.

            "No listening devices or cameras in here," Q reported softly. "There are cameras in some of the hallways though, so you'll have to keep an eye out for them. I'll see if we can get R to hack them when the time comes, but just in case she can't…"

            James nodded. "Ready to go down and join the others?"

            "Yes. Let's get a look at the competition."

            As the butler had mentioned, almost everyone who had already arrived was gathered in the lounge for drinks where their host was holding court. James had to admit that it was an eclectic group. MI6 had managed to identify most of the people who had been invited for the competition, and they ranged from a fourteen-year-old piano prodigy to an eighty-year-old former music teacher. Q, oddly enough seemed to fit it, though James couldn't help but notice the way Kovalevich was eyeing Q.

            James tugged Q from his perch on the arm of the chair onto James' lap and pressed a kiss to his temple. Kovalevich looked away. James smirked.

            "So how did you two meet?" asked Aurelie, the fourteen-year-old's mother.

            James smirked. "Kieran provided the entertainment at a company party a few months ago, and I couldn't let him go afterwards. We've been dating ever since."

            "That's so sweet. You two look adorable together."

            Q was deep in conversation with one of his competitors about some composer that James had never heard of. Most of the others in the room were similarly occupied. Their host was the only one constantly moving around, stopping by each little cluster of people to chat. James kept on arm around Q when Kovalevich joined them.

            "I hope you all are settling in all right," Kovalevich smiled at them, his eyes lingering on Q.

"I'm looking forward to having my home full of music this weekend."

            Q leaned into James a little more, but he smiled at Kovalevich. "It should be fun. I haven't been to one of these in a while."

            "Well then," Kovalevich drawled, "I hope we can make this a pleasant experience for you."

            The rest of the evening was dominated by a seven course meal that was supposed to awe and impress them. The food was delicious though, and it was a good opportunity to get a better feel of the other people attending the competition. He doubted they would be at all problematic, though. The real danger came from Kovalevich's security. There were at least six guards that he'd spotted so far. Still, they were fairly discreet and didn't seem all that concerned about the guests wandering around the house.

            As dessert was being served, their host rose from his seat to address them all.

            "I want to thank all of you for joining us for the weekend. I look forward to a wonderful weekend full of music. Tomorrow we'll see the first round of the competition where everyone will perform three pieces. Then our esteemed judges will eliminate half of the field.   Sunday morning, the remaining six will each perform one more piece, and the judges will whittle the field down to three. That afternoon, the final three will play one more piece, and then the lucky winner will be announced. Of course, I expect that you all enjoy the weekend here even if you don't make it all the way through the completion. Please make yourself at home."

            After dessert and more small talk and the all-important announcement of the performance order, Q and James retreated back to their room. Q's slot to perform was towards the end of the pack, which meant that James was going to have to sit through at least seven pieces of music before Q took the stage. The music wasn't bad, and all of the competitors were pretty decent players. It probably wasn't the sort of thing that James would normally listen to for fun though. What was helpful was the way that once someone started playing, just about everyone in the room was completely focused on the performance. The few people who slipped out to use the restroom or take a smoke break were given no notice whatsoever.

            So he was prepared to make a quick exit once Q took the stage. He was well aware that the first three pieces of music his quartermaster had picked out added up to about fifteen minutes. It wasn't a lot of time, but James could work with that. The other man took a seat at the piano, looking relaxed and at ease in his jeans and cashmere sweater that James had picked out for him. He bent his head over the keys and began to play. It wasn't at all what James was expecting. He was pretty sure he could hear a classical piece, but he also caught strains of a pop tune in there as well. Not that Q noticed his surprise. The other man was completely absorbed in his playing as was just about everyone else in the room. It seemed like a good time as any to slip out and see if he could find the laptop.

            It was easy enough to slip out of the room and make his way to Kovalevich's study.

            "R? Cameras please."

            "Done," came the soft voice in his ear.

            Getting into the study was easy enough, as was locating the laptop in question. He slid the usb in before turning it on as instructed. Q's little device did its job with no problems, bypassing Kovalevich's security and taking James straight to the desktop. From there all it took was a click to the program on the usb to start collecting any data contained on the computer's hard drive.   It was one of the easier extractions James had dealt with. It made him a little twitchy, to tell the truth. Far too often things going this right early on preceded things going very wrong. Or not. It could be his paranoia talking.

            He managed to slip back into the music room before Q had finished playing and joined in the applause. Q slid into the seat beside James after making his bows. The next twenty minutes were spent listening to the rest of the competitors play their pieces. Once that was done, the group adjourned for snacks and gossip while the judges made the decisions about which six pianists would be continuing on in the competition. At this point it didn't really matter if Q continued on or not; they were stuck here until the competition was over with. Leaving early would just cast suspicion upon them if someone discovered the tampering with the laptop. It wasn't the worst assignment when it came to killing time, given the location.

            What James didn't like was the way that Kovalevich was eyeing Q. He'd been shooting James's quartermaster interested looks all weekend, but now he was looking like he wanted to devour the younger man. James wasn't about to let the man think he had any chance whatsoever. The fact that Q was precisely Kovalevich's type could have been included in their briefing, but James had absolutely no problem playing the possessive boyfriend for the rest of the weekend.

            So it was perfectly within character for him to sidle up to Q, hook his fingers in the man's belt loops, and pull him back against James' chest. Q tilted his head back to rest on James' shoulder.

            "There you are. What did you think of the performances?"

            "You were wonderful as always, darling." He pressed a kiss to Q's temple. "I might not understand the technical bits, but the music was lovely."

            Kovalevich didn't look especially pleased by the public display of affection, but he didn't linger much longer either.

            "Even if I didn't know what he does for a living, I wouldn't like that man." Q sighed, leaning into James a little more. "I take it things went well?"

            "You can check yourself this evening." James nipped at his ear. "I suppose we should get back to making nice with everyone else."

            Q laughed and turned in his embrace so he could swat James on the shoulder. "Richard, we can celebrate after we know how I did."

            Despite knowing that at least part of that was for their cover, the playfulness underneath was all Q. Everyone at MI6 had learned that one did not engage in practical jokes with the Quartermaster unless you wanted to be on the receiving end of worse. Double Oh Three had learned that the hard way thinking that it might be fun to torment their new Quartermaster with a series of pranks that disrupted Q Branch. James had found the fallout quite amusing, and Double Oh Three still had the tendency to flinch whenever she encountered a Windows Update notification.

            Q's penchant for swift vengeance when his branch was threatened or bullied was only one of the facets that drew James to the younger man. He liked that the other man could keep up with him and never tried to dumb down the information he provided James with about various technology. He made it understandable, yes, but he never acted as if it was beyond James' comprehension. Though given this particular mission, Q was probably more frustrated by acting dumb than anything else right now. Not that his cover was stupid, exactly, but they weren't going to be able to engage in discussions of car modifications or other engineering puzzles.

            Still, he was a good actor. James doubted that anyone would suspect that Q was anything more than a dreamy and slightly airheaded musician who had latched on to a rich older boyfriend who indulged him. Of course, most of the conversations they had were focused on the music and how people think they did. Thankfully, it didn't take the judges too long to make their decisions and turn them over to Kovalevich.

            "I won't keep you in suspense any longer. Tomorrow morning starting at ten thirty, we'll be hearing Yvette DuPre, Ennis O'Malley, Kieran Pembrooke, Celeste Kwan, Martin Gregson, and Nadya Ivanova."

            Q and James shared a look. On the one hand, that was a good thing for their cover. On the other, it did mean that they would be under a little more scrutiny that Bond liked, especially if he hadn't gotten everything they needed and had to break into the study again. With that announcement made, people started to excuse themselves for the night, and James and Q joined them, heading back to their room. Once the room had again been swept for bugs, James handed over the usb drive for Q's examination.

            "Let me know if I missed anything. It seemed to work perfectly, but everything has been a little too easy so far."

            Q arched an eyebrow at him even as he was plugging in the usb drive. Moments later, the laptop screen was full of information moving too fast for Bon to make sense of. Q was in his element, though, his fingers flying across the keyboard.

            "The good news is that you got everything. Between this and the virus the drive left behind, we should be all set. The bad news is we're still stuck here until Sunday evening at the earliest. We can probably make our excuses once the winner is announced, but we'd be better off waiting until Monday morning and leaving with everyone else."

            Q curled up on their bed with his laptop and set to work doing something beyond James' comprehension, or interest, really. James turned his attention to cleaning his gun for lack of anything better to do. He had a feeling that boredom was going to be his biggest problem for the next few days. It wouldn't be the first time a mission was less than interesting. But at least all they had to worry about now was keeping their cover and convincing Kovalevich that he was not about to tempt Kieran away from Richard. And given that Q didn't seem to have any objections to public displays of affection, James was going to make sure that Kovalevich knew exactly who Q belonged to.

            That was the reason for the love bite high on Q's neck where it wasn't covered by his collar the next morning. It also helped that Q clearly wasn't an operational human being in the morning until after several cups of tea, and James spent much of the time before that making sure that Q didn't attempt to butter his grapefruit or take an eye out with his fork. Once he had a few cups of tea in him, Q was much more functional and less of a hazard.

            The conversation at the breakfast table was stilted anyway, so Q hadn't missed much. It seemed that the six who had made it to the next round for the most part were keeping their own counsel while several of those who hadn't made it that far were expounding on what the others had done wrong or right. Q was ignoring all of that, but the fourteen-year-old was beginning to look rather nervous.

            The first round of the day's competition started immediately after breakfast. Q was in the dead center of the pack. When Q's turn came he once again took his seat at the piano and sunk into his performance. James actually recognized the music this time around as it was clearly variations of music from the Lord of the Rings movies. Q finished with a flourish and rejoined James in their seats.

            "So what happens if you win this thing?" James murmured in his ear.

            Q grinned. "Then MI6 gets a lovely donation to one of the secret bank accounts."

            "Pity. I could think of a few things we could have done with it."

            Q just elbowed him.

            The rest of the performances were rather boring. There were only so many piano pieces Bond could listen to without them beginning to blur together. He might enjoy music, but he liked a little more variety in his listening choices. Q, at least, had been mixing traditional with modern when it came to his choices. There had yet to be the situation where two pianists chose the same piece of music to play, but so far people had mostly chosen Beethoven, Chopin, or Debussy. Q and the fourteen-year-old where the only ones to throw anything modern in to the mix, though the eighty-year-old seemed to have an affection for obscure composers.

            Lunch was served after the performances. He and Q claimed the end of the table farthest away from Kovalevich. Q let out a sigh as he applied himself to the food.

            "Something wrong?"

            "Other than the fact that Kovalevich seems to take every opportunity to try and convince me that he'd be a better sugar daddy than you?" Q wrinkled his nose. "Don't be surprised if I make it into the final three if only to give him the chance to try and woo me some more."

            "Do I need to have a talk with the gentleman?"

            Q just laughed. "No. I think I made it pretty clear that I didn't think he could, ah, keep up in other areas when it came to boyfriendly duties."

            James leaned in for a kiss which quickly turned into two then three. "We'll just have to keep him convinced."

            Q smirked back at him. "I don't think that will be too hard. We should have a break coming up once they announce the final three."

            His Quartermaster had been right on the money about the final three. It came down to Q, the eighty-year-old, and a pretentious twat from Dublin. James was rooting for the eighty-year-old. Celeste Kwan was a sharp lady, and he liked her best out of the contestants other than Q. Besides, her music didn't put him nearly to sleep like some of the others.

            No sooner than the final three were announced, Kovalevich was making a beeline for Q. James wrapped his arm around Q's waist and drew him close even as the man reached them.

            "Congratulations, Kieran," Kovalevich purred. "That was a remarkable performance."

            Q shrugged. "Meh. It was fine. Not my best perhaps, but I have to save something for the final."

            James chuckled, dropping a kiss on to the top of Q's head. "He's always modest about his talents. We know better, though."

            Q leaned into him with a smile. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Richard."

            "In that case, maybe we should go back to our room. Can't have you getting exhausted before the final round." James smirked at Kovalevich even as he began guiding Q back towards their rooms. "You will excuse us, won't you?"

            Q was giggling by the time they reached their room. "The look on his face. We may have to retire the Richard Sterling identity after this. I rather think that Kovalevich might decide to try and ruin him."

            James flopped back on their bed. "If he doesn't stop trying to steal you from me, I'll be perfectly happy to retaliate."

            Q snagged his laptop and curled up next to James on the bed. "We'll go downstairs for the next round looking suitability rumpled from our 'nap'. According to Kovalevich, there will be dinner and dancing before the winner is announced at dessert."

            "And do you dance?"

            His partner made a face. "Badly and only when forced."

            "I'll just have to claim all of your dances then."

            James actually ended up taking nap while Q worked on his computer. He woke to careful fingers running through his hair.

            "I hate to wake you, but we're due downstairs in about ten minutes." Q offered him a slow smile. "I suppose we could be fashionably late if we wanted to."

            The two of them arrived just in time, though James knew that everyone in the room was under the impression that they had just been shagging − especially Kovalevich, who was glaring daggers at James. He shrugged it off. The man wasn't likely to try and shoot him anytime soon, which was always a plus.

            Three piano pieces later, the group was being escorted to dinner. James kept Q close and snagged seats for them next to Celeste. She and Q quickly sank into a conversation about music, and James took the chance to survey the room. He had to admit that so far things had gone a little too smoothly for his comfort. Still, all they had to do now was make it to tomorrow morning, and they could be one their way home. Most of the group was either eating or discussing their thoughts on the outcome of the final three. Kovalevich seemed distracted by a conversation with the judges, and for once he wasn't making eyes at Q.  

            Q stuck close once the meal was finished and Kovalevich brought in musicians for dancing. They weren't the only ones who weren't dancing, so they didn't stand out too much. Q perched in James' lap while chatting happily about music with Celeste, who claimed she was too old for that sort of thing. Kovalevich had attempted to convince Q to dance with him several times only to be turned down with protestations of just how bad a dancer Q was.

            The dessert cart was finally rolled in, James was more than ready to call it a night. As much as he enjoyed Q's company, parties like these weren't all that interesting when you didn't have something to during one. Kovalevich, of course, had to make a big production of things even as their chocolate mousse was being handed out.

            "I want to thank everyone once again for coming this weekend. I hope you have all enjoyed yourselves. I won't leave you in suspense any longer. Our second runner up is Mr. Ennis O'Malley. The first runner up is Mr. Kieran Pembrooke, which means that this contest's winner is Ms. Celeste Kwan. Let's have a round of applause for our winner."

            James and Q shared a look. The two of them congratulated Celeste before making their escape back to their rooms, though Q managed to snag their dessert on the way.

            "Well, that's over with. Are you going to eat your mousse?"

            He just laughed. "Go ahead, Q."

            Q grinned at him. "Thanks. I take it we're leaving right after breakfast?"

            "That's the plan. Unless you want to stay longer…"

            "No, thank you. I'll be quite happy to be back home."

            Monday morning, James woke to Q snuggled up against his chest and a fond wish that they weren't in the middle of potentially hostile territory. They would be back in London soon enough, and maybe then James could get a better handle on the chemistry between the two of them. He'd quite enjoyed the easy affection and intimacy between them, and if it weren't for the fact that they were on a mission, James doubted they would be leaving the bed anytime today.

            Still, they managed to wander down for the final breakfast with Q looking disheveled enough that Kovalevich didn't even bother trying to talk him into staying again, especially not with James' arm slung around Q's waist the entire time. Q drank at least four cups of tea before he was coherent enough to hold conversation that made sense, but James managed to have a halfway interesting discussion about international politics with Celeste.

            Afterwards, the two of them made their goodbyes and slipped out with several of the other competitors that had driven to the estate, citing a business engagement of Richard's in Paris as an excuse not to stay when Kovalevich made once last try at tempting Q away from James. In the end,   they pulled out of Kovalevich's drive and were on the road north to England without a hitch.

            "It's a shame," Q trailed his fingers across the dashboard. "I was rather hoping to give her a good test drive. I know that boring missions are good in the long run, but I didn't expect it to be that dull."

            James laughed. "Well, I'm sure we can find someone who's willing to play if a car chase is an absolute must-have experience for you."

            Q offered him a mischievous smile. "Oh? Do tell."

            A car chase, four restaurants, and half a dozen desserts later, they had made it back to London without any major mishaps. The check in at MI6 was a quick thing since there was little to do except turn in the car and hand the usb drive over to Q's minions for analysis. Their reports would be due in a few days, but there wasn't anything pressing, and James was in the mood for good company without the distraction of a mission to interfere.

            "Want a ride home?" he asked Q. "Maybe dinner?"

            "I have to pick up the kittens from Eve, but if you don't mind an extra stop."

            "Or we could get dinner and pick up the kittens in the morning."      

Q tilted his head to the side. "The mission is over. You're still flirting with me."

            James shrugged. "Yes."         

            "You could have pulled off that charade with any agent. I was just convenient for this mission."

            "But I enjoy the charade when it's you. It's not so much a charade, I must admit."

            Q was silent for a long moment before saying, "Eve can keep the kittens for another day."

            James reeled him in for a kiss. "Good. I have plans for dinner then dessert."

 

***

 

            He woke to an empty bed, the smell of tea, and the sound of a piano. James found a pot of tea on the kitchen counter and poured himself a mug before wandering out into the living room. Q was seated at the piano, eyes closed and lost in the music. James sipped at his tea and enjoyed the show. It was different from watching Q compete. The music wasn't as sharp or precise, but there was an emotional undercurrent to the notes that hadn't been there before. He leaned against the piano and finished his tea.

            Eventually, the music stopped and Q crowded into his personal space and stole his tea. James retaliated with a stolen kiss. It was perhaps not the morning he'd planned when he took Q home with him, but he rather thought he could get used to this.


End file.
